WELL PROBLEMS

WELL PROBLEMS
I. Well kicks.
II. Stuck pipe
III. Lost circulation.
IV. Restriction in the drilling string.
V. Washout of the drilling string.
 I.Well Kicks
It is the entering of the
formation fluid to the
wellbore.
• this occur when the formation
pressure exceeds the hydrostatic
pressure.
• A blowout is uncontrolled kick.
 Well Kicks
• Overbalance.
• Underbalance.
• Factors controlling the kicks
sevirity:-
1. permeability.
2. underbalance.
 Reasons for Kicks
1. Insufficient Mud Weight.
2. Swabbing.
3. Gas cut mud.
4. Failure to keep the hole full.
5. Lost circulation.
 Insufficient Mud.1
.Weight
The formation pressure is higher than the
hydrostatic pressure.
 2.Swabbing

A negative hydrostatic
pressure causing reducing
bottom hole pressure
 The speed of the drill pipe pulling.
 Mud flow properties; yp, gel.
 Hole geometry.
 Balled up string.
3.Gas cut mud
4.Failure to keep the hole full.
5.Lost circulation
Indications of Kicks
 Changes in mud gas.
 Drilling breaks.
 Improper hole fillups in trips.
 Pump pressure decrease and pump
strokes increase
 Flow out rate increase.
 Pit Volume Increase.
 String weight change.
 Well flowing with pumps off.
 II. Stuck pipe
Drilling string
cannot be
raised, lowered
or rotate.
 Mechanisms of stuck pipe

A. Differential Stuck.
B. Wellbore Geometry.
C. Hole packing off.
 A. Differential Stuck
Sticking of pipe against a permeable
formation as the result of the pressure
of the mud in the hole exceeding the
bore fluid pressure.
Differential sticking
 Stuck breadth = 4”
 Stuck length = 25’
 Fm pressure = 4000 psi
 H pressure = 5000 psi
 D. F=4*25*12*(5000-
4000)

 1,200,000lbs
 Differential sticking
• Cause:
• Drill string contacts a permeable zone.
• Developing of static filter cake.
• High differential force.
• Warning:
• Prognosed low pressure sands
• Long / unstabilized BHA.
• Increasing overpull, slack off weight or
torque to start string movement.
• First action:
• Apply torque and jar down with maximum
trip load.
• Spot a pipe releasing pill if the string does
not jar free.
 Preventing Action
1. Maintain minimum required mud weight.
2. Keep string moving when BHA is
opposite suspected zones.
3. Minimize seepage loss in low pressure
zones.
4. Minimize unstabilized BHA & use spiral
DC.
5. Control drill suspected zones
 B. Wellbore Geometry
Hole diameter and / or angle relative to BHA
geometry and / or stiffness will not allow
passage of the drill string
1. Key seat
2. Microdoglegs
3. Ledges
4. Stiff assembly
5. Mobile formation
6. Under gauge hole
Key Seat
Causes:
1. Abrupt change in
angle or direction in
soft formations.
2. High string tension
and pipe rotation
wears a slot into the
formation.
3. While POOH the drill
collars jam into the
slot.
 Warning, indications, first
action
Warning:
1. High angle doge leg in upper hole section.
2. Long drilling hours with no wiper trips through
the dogleged section
3. Cyclic over pull at tool joint intervals on trips.
Indications:
1. Occurs only while POOH.
2. Sudden over pull as BHA reaches dogleg depth.
3. Unrestricted circulation.
4. Free string movement below key seat depth.
 First Action, Preventive Action
First action:
 Applay torque and jar down.
 Attempt to rotate with low over pull to work
through dogleg.
Preventive Action:
 Minimize dog leg severity to 3deg/100’ or less.
 Limit over pull through suspected intervals.
 Run string reamer or key seat wiper if
suspected.
 C. Packing Off & Bridging
Formation cuttings cavings or medium to large
pieces of hard formation, cement or junk settle
around the drill string and pack off/bridging
the annulus.
1. Settled cuttings
2. Shale instability +
3. Unconsolidated formations
4. Fractured formations
5. Cement related.
6. Junk.
Settled Cutting Straight Hole
Causes:
• Low annular
velocity and/or
poor mud
properties.
• When circulation is
stopped, the
cuttings fall back
down the hole and
pack off the drill
string.
 Warning, indications, first action
Warning:
1. High ROP, low pump rate, little to no circulation
time at connections.
2. Torque, drag and pump pressure increase.
3. Over pull off slips, pump surge to break
circulation
4. Fill on bottom.
Indications:
1. Likely to occure on connections.
2. Possible during trips.
3. Circulation restricted or impossible.
 First Action, Preventive Action
First action:
 Applay low pump pressure (200-400psi).
 Apply torque and jar down.
 Circulate clean to avoid recurrence.
Preventive Action:
 Control ROP, maximize annular velocity.
 Maintain sufficient gel strength and YP.
 Circulate 5- 10 min before connections.
 Circulation clean before POOH.
Settled Cutting Deviated Hole
Causes:
• Drill cuttings settle on
the low side forming a
cutting bed.
• The cutting bed builds
and slide down hole.
• While POOH the
cuttings is dragged
upward by the BHA
 Warning, indications, first
action
Warning:
1. Hole angle > 35deg..
2. Drilling with a down hole motor.
3. High ROP, low GPM, increase torque, increase
pump pressure.
Indications:
1. Likely to occure while POOH, possible while
drilling.
2. Increase overpull on trips.
3. Circulating pressure restricted or impossible
 First Action, Preventive Action
First action:
 Apply low pump pressure (100-400psi).
 Jar down & Apply torque with caution .
 Circulate clean to avoid recurrence.
Preventive Action:
 Record trend indicators for inadequate hole
cleaning.
 Control ROP, maintain mud properties, maximize
annular velocity, maximize string rotation.
 Circulation clean before POOH.
 Use low vis/high vis density sweps.